She led the way to the powder room and dug out first-aid supplies. Glancing at Darcy’s fingers, she noticed the wound was on his right hand, and he was right-handed. No wonder he’d done such a miserable job of sticking on the bandages. “Here, I’ll do it for you,” she said as she took his hand and began cleaning the cuts. The hydrogen peroxide elicited a sharp intake of breath. “You can dish it out but you can’t take it, Nurse Darcy?” she teased. She felt him stiffen, and she froze.Nurse Darcy. Did I really say that?
“I’m fine,” he said hoarsely.
She managed to finish without any further embarrassing references to their past. He smiled softly and suggested they leave the rest of the kitchen cleanup to the caterers.
“Maybe Lydia can assist,” she suggested. “She has endless energy to burn off.”
When Elizabeth emerged from the house a few minutes later, she found the families scattered around the pool. The kids were in the shallow end playing with boats and Barbies while their parents looked on. Louisa and Herb gave the appearance of napping under a giant umbrella. Caroline was talking quietly with Jane. Ted had his nose in a book, and Barbara was applying sunscreen to Mary’s neck.
Lydia, buds in her ears and iPhone in her hand, was swaying around the deck. When Darcy sat in a chaise, pulled out his phone, and began checking his e-mail, she plopped down next to him. “Hey.” She pulled out one earbud. “Are you allergic to the sun like Mary and the redheads?”
He looked at her, one eyebrow raised.
“Your shirt? I mean, seriously, you don’t look like you have anything to hide.”
“Lydia Kowalski-Bennet! Mind your manners!” Barbara cried.
“You people can’t take a joke. Sorry,” Lydia said to Darcy through gritted teeth. She stomped off and sprawled out next to Mary on an oversize chaise.
Elizabeth looked at Darcy still staring at his phone, his face flushed but blank.Always under assault, isn’t he?Gathering her courage, she walked over and sat next to him. She felt him stiffen and immediately regretted her decision.
“Sorry about that,” she mumbled. “Lydia was born without a filter, and good or bad, it all comes out.”
“It’s fine; she’s a teenager,” Darcy said softly. “I don’t usually think about it, but with the children here”—he nodded toward Ava and Alex—“I thought it best not to prompt questions about…” He looked at her carefully and lowered his voice. “Do you remember, I have some scars on my shoulders?”
Prompted by an impulse she couldn’t regret, Elizabeth squeezed his wrist. “Yes, I know. I’m sure they’re not so terrible that you couldn’t explain them away with some tale of a pirate battle.” She winced, feelinginsensitive and stupid.
“Yes, that could work.”
“I’m just sorry you can’t be comfortable in your own home.”
“Is it so obvious that I’m not good in large groups?” he asked, gracing her with a small smile.
“Seeing as how you apparently run a multinational corporation and do all these big and important things, I guess it depends on the makeup of the group.” She pretended not to notice that she was still gripping his wrist. He didn’t appear to mind.
“This is a nice, energetic gathering. But, as with any business meeting, I think it best to keep my shirt on.”
“Well, there you go. Another sound business decision. I see why you’re the guy at the top of the flow chart.” He laughed, and when she pulled her eyes away from his, she saw that Jane and Charles werewatching them. As was Caroline, wearing a pinched, calculating expression under her gigantic hat. Elizabeth stood and walked over to the pool, sat down on the edge, and dangled her legs into the water.
“Eliza, whatever happened to that well-built man who was squiring you about town a month or two ago?” Caroline purred. “Or that other one, the biker?”
Elizabeth flushed. “Those were friends, business acquaintances. I’m sorry—I didn’t realize you wished for an introduction.”
Caroline’s expression shifted from calculating to angry.
“Lizzy, when is that book with all the hunky jocks coming out?” Lydia cried. “I can’t believe you never let me meet any of them except for that lunkhead who came for Christmas Eve.”
“It was scheduled to hit the stores for Father’s Day sales, but now it looks like it will be out in the fall,” Elizabeth replied, frowning.
“Well, that will definitely affect its sales prospects, won’t it, dear?” Ted commented.
“It couldn’t be helped,” Jane said, gazing thoughtfully at Elizabeth.
“Did you miss your deadline? Or compromise your sources?” Caroline giggled.
“No, but wouldn’t that be rich?” Elizabeth replied coolly. “Even in our digital age, a long-scheduled press run can be delayed when a fading movie star suddenly dies or a boy-toy singer and his pop-star girlfriend break up. You can put the blame squarely on the public’s demand for cheaply compiled, tell-all biographies.”
“And capitalism and greed,” Mary intoned balefully.
